Validér chooses Powel for Norway’s largest smart metering platform

Future proof concept allows for constant development both in terms of size and functionality. 21 grid companies and a minimum of 400 000 smart metering points included from the start.

Trondheim and Bergen, Norway: May 13, 2014: Validér AS, a service provider formed by 21 grid companies in western Norway, has entered a strategic business agreement with Powel AS, a leading software and services provider for the energy sector. Through the contract, Powel and its project sub-suppliers Oracle and e-vita, will provide the IT platform needed for implementing the largest smart metering project in Norway to date, initially including 400.000 smart metering points.

“I have great expectations for the IT platform and not least Powel as the main supplier and partner in the years to come" said Thomas Thiis, CEO at Validér. "I am convinced that with this new platform we will be able to offer a cost effective and reliable service of Advanced Metering Systems (AMS) for our existing and future shareholders and customers."

Significantly improving several processes

The introduction of smart metering for end-customers allows for automated recording of the customer’s electric energy consumption in intervals of an hour or less. The meter recordings will be collected using the Powel ELIN system improving process automation, monitoring and control of the distribution system. In addition to measuring electrical consumption the system will gather information of the voltage level, improve outage management and help identify any earth failures. As a result, these features will provide the grid companieswith necessary and significantly improved information for planning, operating and maintain the medium- and low-voltage distribution system.

Future proof concept

As a market leader within Smart Grid and Metering, Powel and its solution support a wide variety of meter types and communication technologies – functionality that is central for the success of the Validér concept. It fully supports advanced metering management processes, independent of meter brand and communication protocol. In this way, Powel is able to provide the flexibility needed for successfully and securely managing a project of this scale now and in the future.

Validér the central service provider

Validér will act as the service provider for smart meter operations and will manage and operate Powel’s system for collection and processing of all metering data. The company will provide and support the integration of the central system to elhub.no and the grid companies, ERP and Network Information Systems (NIS).

”Since the Powel solution allows us to manage the entire operation, from data collection and validation of meter data to exception handling and enabling of events and alarms through the same platform, we are able to streamline automated processes and services”, Thomas Thiis said. ”Also, we are impressed by the top references that Powel were able to provide from other large scale implementations in Europe.

For Powel, the new deal is an important milestone on its home market.

“As metering systems become more and more intelligent, players like Validér increasingly embrace the potential of offering new and efficient services based on the opportunities that flexible and open solutions can provide,” Bård Benum said. There is a lot happening in this space at the moment and we are happy to see that Norway is leading the way”.

Facts about the solution:

In the framework of this contract, Powel will provide Validér with Powel ELIN and Powel MOBI to manage and operate a minimum of 400.000 metering points in accordance with the Norwegian market requirements for Advanced Metering Systems (AMS). The system will utilise an Oracle Exadata database, Exalogic middleware and e-vita software and services for BPM functionality. In addition, Powel will utilise ArcGIS to enable powerful geospatial communications analysis and exception handling. The solution will add significant value by automating processes and integration with both grid companies and elhub.no.

Powel AS, headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, delivers business-critical software solutions and related services specifically designed to help energy companies and public utilities improve daily operational processes and service quality. The company is a market leader in smart metering, generation, grid maintenance and water management solutions with offices in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Switzerland. Founded in 1996, Powel AS is a privately held company with more than 300 employees. For more information visit www.powel.com

About Validér

VALIDÉR AS is a service provider that was established in June, 2013 by seven grid companies, which together form the Vestlandsaliansen collaboration (https://www.vestlandsalliansen.no). In December 2013, 14 additional grid companies from the western part of Norway joined Validér as owners. Validér helps companies with smart meter operations by managing and operating an IT platform for metering data collection and processing. VALIDÉR AS operates according to the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) requirements.